Hypnomantic Design

[Miro]

64th day of Fall, 513 AV

Miro sat waiting after finishing his scrolls for Alric to return. He had created twelve in total, though ten of them small and simple in design. Not every scroll would require a Reimancy element to complete it, but every scroll certainly would require Hypnotism. Though arguably each would require his Reimancy as well, for he planned to create powerful sigils through combining the discipline with Glyphing. At any rate it would take more Djed to complete than either wizard had to spare on any one day, and as such this would be the start of a process.

The undead estimated that it would take a full ten days to complete. On this day he hoped to complete the seven scrolls of Hypnomantic air, which would likely be quite draining, but he doubted either would be left exhausted. Another day would be attributed to the Hypnomantic smoke, then the rest of the days committed to little more than an obsession per day. Some of the obsessions would be enhanced by minor Hypnotism, but the hardest of them would be the five obsessions to go in Alrics large scroll. It would be the most dangerous scroll he had ever created.

The smoke he hoped not to use, as well as the extra obsessions. If things went well they only needed Miro's several average scrolls and Alric's one big scroll. It was good to have a backup either way, as the two complimented each other well. The process of filling them would be grueling and take much of their time. It was likely that the wizards would not be doing much else for the next several days. Something much easier for the undead than the human. But Alric was a wizard, and he was intent on getting the best out of his magic. To think what would happen to a mind when met with Hypnotism of this degree.

Gru'tral would fall, and Lazerin would rise. They had it planned, and the Ebonlord would soon be at the mercy of the two wizards. The rewards from such a venture were sure to be great, and Miro already had his decided. He wanted to be named a soldier in the Ebonstryfe, and not only that, but to have the greatest honors within the Lazarin family. Be taken in as if he were Lazarin's own son. And with it be put on the fast track to paladinhood. Though it was likely Alric had something else in mind, he would insist he consider the Stryfe. Even being an apprentice held benefits.

But for now he would wait patiently. Ender was still unclear on some details however. "How do you plan to get to Lazarin? And then to Gru'tral after him? It will not be easy to pin down Druvin and convince them to agree with your plans. Although I cant see Lazarin refusing your offer after it is made. You two certainly have the skills to do quite a lot. I am doubtful you will get the chance however." To Miro it was all too obvious. "It is quite simple to pick out a Lazarin slave, and Alric can use them to get to the family. From there he Hypnotizes his way up the ladder until he reaches the top. Whatever it takes. Then to convince Lazarin is just as simple."

From there it meant setting their plan to take Gru'tral down. It was likely that Lazarin could prepare them with the information they needed to make a move on Gru'tral. Then when the plan was made, they need only wait for the right time and strike. It was as simple as being able to tag him with Alric's large scroll. At least he hoped it was that simple. In case it was not they had other tools, but struggle or not they would be victorious. Gru'tral would fall, Lazarin would rise, along with the wizards who made it all possible.

[Alric Wilmot]

Alric had taken a walk early today to clear his head. It was abuzz with schemes and plots, and not all of them made sense. Today he had Miro would begin preparing scrolls to facilitate their plans. Alric was so nervous! Would this work? What is Miro was wrong and two disciplines could not be merged? What if the scrolls were faulty, and let loose at the wrong time. Alric had no idea how glyphing worked, though Miro tried to teach him. Alric took a deep breath and let go, easing his fluttering stomach. He was fearful, true, but he was also excited. This was the first step toward something much greater. Miro saw this as an opportunity to play Ravokian politics and get in good with the Lazerin family. And it was at that. But to Alric it was more. He had not yet told Miro of the enormity of his schemes. Most likely he never would. Miro had his own plans, his own goals, and Alric wished to keep his separate. His freind was willing to help him if it benefited them both, but Alric wondered if Miro would help him if he knew what his true goals were. He prayed to Ionu that this friendship was good and honest. After his father's death, after his brother's madness, he needed that. Still, no reason to chance it. Alric entered Miro's house with a smirk on his face, though its validity was questionable. Alric had no idea how long all this would take, but Miro had hinted that it would take more than a day. Which made sense, considering they were weaponizing a technique that Alric could only cast once a day. Alric turned to find Miro sitting, waiting for him. "Well, today's the day we start. We'd best get to it. We only have until the end of winter, I wager. So, what do you need me to do first?"

[Miro]

Miro was well and ready to begin by the time Alric walked through the door. He had his scrolls all readied nearby and they could begin. The plan on how to fill them was quite clear, and it would be a long process. It would involve a lot of casting from both wizards on most days, though a great deal more from Alric with his powerful obsessions. They would take half of the time to fill just his large scroll without damaging the Hypnotist's soul. However some days would push things a bit more from both of them. The magic to be cast was only possible from two masters.

"We begin with our minor scrolls. I have seven that I will use, our main tool. The one you proposed, we will create air that causes those who are exposed to it and breathe it to fall unconscious. Rather than prepare seven instances of the scroll, today we will form a large amount of it and continue enhance it until it is powerful enough to be dependable. Then I will store it in the scrolls. It will be difficult to properly contain and transfer into the scrolls, so it will be taxing on me. Tomorrow we continue with one of your minor scrolls."

Miro walked over to his Glyphing bag and set it down on his bed and pulled out one of the leather cased scrolls. "There are three for you, in these cases. It will give you some protection against the magic within them. We will create enhanced versions of your most powerful magic and we will store them in these scrolls. You are an Illusionist, are you not? Even divine magic can be combined to create more powerful effects. Though that should be saved for a bigger scroll. For this we shall only add minor hypnotic effects to further the effect of your manipulation."

The Reimancer shrugged and walked over to his larger scrolls and placed them on the bed. "These however are what will take the most effort. Your scroll will take five days to fill with your limit on one master spell a day. Though one would still be able to channel a Gnosis. And the last of the ten days will be the most taxing on me, as it will be to fill this scroll with hypnotic smoke. I wish it to be punishing for any to inhale and be surrounded by. To cause them to panic and fear it. Make all who are afflicted by it turn tail and give up. I will deal with the masses, you will deal with individuals." Though he did wish to only use a few of the scrolls, one could never be too prepared.

Miro tucked away the cased and larger scrolls and set forth the seven average scrolls. These were the most simple, though quite important. For now they would remain idle in wait to be filled however. They were each opened in a row and lain next to one another. The miniature mural of the snake and the egg copied onto each parchment scroll. Their arrangement was quite simple, barrier, focus, trigger, and the conditions to release being quite sensitive. "Do not touch the face of these scrolls, for if you palm the trigger my scroll is void." And that would cause a setback, although minor.

Right now they would start with the first round of Hypnomancy Glyphing. It would happen in stages to enrich the Hypnotism within the Reimancy. The initial amount of air would not be modified much, and indeed carried through each stage. It would require Res to direct it, and for him to cast spells to combine the element with more Hypnotism. Each round would tax him more than the last, but he knew that the finished product would be worth it. Not only that, but simple plates were not so costly. It would be several spells that a team of lesser wizards could handle.

The only way Miro would get pushed to overgiving was if he was determined to make the product overly potent. However each of the scrolls could only contain so much Djed. Between them however it could contain enough to disable quite a few Ebonstryfe. Best of all without killing any of them. It would not serve Rhysol at all to have losses on either side. That was why having Alric was ideal. He was able to deal with things and keep Gru'tral from being wasted. With skills like his he could make the rules.

"To begin making our hypnotic air I will need to produce Res to become the element and control it. Then I will create a sigil to contain the element and contain focuses to contain your Hypnotism. Once they are contained I will combine them and we repeat the process. As we add more Hypnotism it becomes more potent, and finally when the mass is ripe, we store it within these seven scrolls. They will be prepared, and we shall rest until we are ready to do more."

Miro called his staff to his hand and began to produce Res as a gas from the entirety of its surface. The smokey aqua substance poured from the wood and began to form a cloud near the ceiling. He willed a separate mass to be formed and began to pour liquid Res to spill in a puddle on the floor. The liquid formed into a plate that would form his Glyphing and the cloud condensed and hovered just above it. The Res clouds would become the base for the end product, transmuted as air and stored immediately.

Before that however he would have to create a sigil. To begin he started to form the shape of the plate, thick and round, big enough to contain all of the runes. He had a design in mind, and would begin with the barrier. The wizard began by forming ripples in the Res in rows of diamonds and squares with a hollow core. Within it would be the focuses and switch posed around a focus to release the spell. A space was left in the barrier as well in the shape of a hollow diamond for the trigger.

The focuses were a bit tricky, but for now only four of them. He created a large square within the space and a much smaller square in the center. He divided both squares with a a cross and began to focus on a design for each of the quadrants. A theme came to mind and he applied it. Each of the four areas would be marked with an element. The first would appear as dry cracked earth, while the second would be marked with crashing and cascading waves. The third would be covered in a field of fire, while the last would have markings of gentle breezes and harsh swirling winds both.

Within the square Miro made another box, this one thin, and marked with a runic chain of symbols that formed a barrier within the focuses. Now he could create his switch and release focus, and finally create and program the trigger. The switch and focus would be connected, and both created from the same brush strokes. Within the remaining hollow square center the wizard drew a diamond with edges that met the existing walls. This formed not only the diamond, but four triangles around it as well, one for each quadrant. Within each triangle he created a curved symbol, and within the diamond a combination of those four symbols.

Now all that was left was the trigger, a simple enough rune to create. It would be much the opposite of the release trigger, this rune's counterpart. In the diamond space allotted to the rune he created a square, which created four triangles around it. Miro inverted the symbols used for the switch and focus and applied them to the rune. It was tasked to release the barrier and allow the spells from the four runes to combine and be released from the center focus. The condition of its release was to speak a command phrase, "release trigger". Though now it would have to be transmuted and filled.

The Reimancer transmuted the plate to rock and the runes to ice. Retaining the design of the runes was difficult, but something he had gotten used to with practice. It required a great deal of focus and meditation, but with proper focus the results were always satisfactory. The cloudy mass would be transmuted next, only this time to air. He transmuted the substance to air and willed it down into the the focuses themed with air and water. "I filled my half, now you can fill yours. The first round is simple enough. Fill in the two remaining focuses, fire and earth. Remember the effect we desire here. We want to incapacitate our foes by rendering them unconscious."

[Alric Wilmot]

"Well then I best get to it." Alric grabbed the two scrolls that were set aside for the sleeping air. He could do this one without even breaking a sweat. He laid them out in front of him and sat down. He took in a deep breath before thinking about what exactly he needed to do. They needed a scroll combining air and Alric's most soothing hypnotic messages and feelings. So, as he released his breath, he sent two tendrils into the scrolls to connect him to them as he would connect to a person. He thought of the slight apathy one created when they were tired, and sent it in first. He needed them all to be blissfully unaware of what was happening. So he sent in a bit more apathy. After that he moved to other emotions of weariness, tiredness, and exhaustion. He filled up his nostrils with djed full of the selected emotions and breathed them into Miro's scrolls. He had no idea if using scrolls was anything like casting it normally, but this was all he knew how to do, and so proceeded to cast his spells on the scrolls as he would a normal person. Finally after a few minutes he switched to hypnotic suggestions. Layered hypnotism was strongest, and he did not want to rely on these scrolls only to have them fail in their moment of need. "You are feeling sleepy, oh so very sleepy. Your eyelids are heavy, heavier than you can support. Let them fall now, let the burden be gone. Let sleep over take you and drive away all other thoughts. Let drowsiness enter you, let fatigue come into your being. Let all worries, problems and tensions leave. Now is a good time to rest, relax and recharge. Be still, and know that you are safe, warm and above all... in need of rest. So give in to your sleep, and fall. Its oh so easy. Oh so easy."

[Miro]

Miro watched Alric fill the sigil and was ready to proceed with the next step. To transition to the next phase of enrichment he would need to create another plate, this one able to hold more Djed still. After the Reimancy Glyphing was completed he could create an amount of Res and activate the first sigil. It would combine the Hypnotism and Reimancy and release the hypnotic air to be guidied into the next sigil. Only this time it would be supplemented with a myriad of smaller spells to fill the effect.

He had assumed that the initial spells cast would set the foundation and the following glyph would complete the effect. And though Alric did not mention his Gnosis, Miro knew it existed. It was hard not to have the inverted azure triangle catch the eye. It was Ionu's mark after all, and only loosely covered by a sleeve at most. Though the Reimancer knew the Hypnotist did not by his nature uncover the mystery of his illusions and spoil the charm of such a mark. It was not something he would brag of or even openly admit to often.

And though the undead was not sure if the mark could contribute anything here, but he was sure if it could the sigil would see that the magic was combined flawlessly. If done properly the next round of Glyphing would be enough to complete the spell, and the effect would be enough to cause any who breathe it in to quickly be rendered unconscious. He wondered what effects should be added to finish the effect. Perhaps he would simply mention the effects that contributed to sleepiness, though it was not something he had experienced in years.

"Things that contribute to sleep, if I haven't forgotten by now. Fatigue, warmth, comfort, darkness, soothing noises, ease of mind. Ensure all of these are included in the spell, and in conjunction with suggestions to fall asleep, they should complete the effect. If properly infused into the air, it should easily produce the desired effect. Especially as the air Reimancy produces is not the best to breathe. Before long it causes some effect on the mind, perhaps because it is not a suitable substitute for natural air. However it catch fire quite well. Just see to it that we reach the desired potency and effect. With your abilities, I do not think it should be a problem."

Now he would work to create the next sigil, though its design was hardly any clearer now than it was chimes ago. The design would be reminiscent the first, only there would be two specifications in the designs of the focuses. It would likely be best to split the sigil into two halves. One would contain a large and detailed focus to store the Hypnomancy, the other would contain several smaller focuses stored with Hypnotism, and the center would combine and release the effects. In many respects it would be the same however, as he expected the trigger, switch and barriers to be formed as before. Though one could never be sure until each rune was created.

Miro pointed his staff and produced his Res shaped into a thick plate, even larger than the previously made one. He closed his eyes and began to envision the sigil he would transmute. It contained seven focuses identical in form in a formation on the left side. Two runes were positioned towards the back, with three in front of them surrounding them, and two others ahead of the three on the other edges. A woven barrier contained every rune, and formed paths for each of the focuses to flow towards the switch in the center. On the right was one much larger focus identical to those opposite it. And in the middle was a switch and emission rune blocked by a barrier. A trigger positioned above the center completed the sigil.

The focuses were designed as a septagram posed on a circle, and within each of its points was a different symbol. The barrier, switch and release focus took the form of rings and circles in the center. The outermost was a moderately thick ring filled with a chain of runic symbols that seemed to form some type of writing. Within that was a much thicker ring, filled with a set of curved lines spout from each side in both directions. They wrapped about it and wove against one another to form thousands of tiny starlike diamonds within. Finally at the center was the emission focus, much like the other focuses featuring a septagram, only it was posed over a set of seven interlocking rings.

To finish it he would create the barrier and trigger. He imagined the trigger first, an inverted triangle within a circle. Three symbols were placed within the circle but outside of the triangle, and a final larger one within the triangle. It was tasked to release the barrier around the switch and allow the magic from the focuses into the switch to be combined and released from the central release focus. And to surround all runes, with the exception of the pathways left to guide each of the focuses to the switch, he wove a barrier. A chain of circlets that patterned together in a weave to pad and protect the powerful magic that would be stored within. And finally he transmuted the plate to rock and the Glyphing to ice.

"There, I have completed the next sigil, and I will transfer the air to it now. One half will contain the previously modified spell, and the other will contain new spells to finish the effect. If perhaps you would like, I might offer my own talents in Hypnotism to fill a rune or two." Though he expected that Alric may not want to chance things by letting a fledgling Hypnotist to taint the spell with shoddy work. However he still had his part of transferring the Hypnomancy from the first sigil. The Reimancer began to produce a thick cloud of Res from his staff and guided it to the release focus of the loaded sigil. He started his attraction early and spoke the command, "release trigger."

A flash of light started from the outside focuses and began to travel inward. the shining display of light filled the area where the barrier once was and began to flow into the switch. As it moved through each rune, the ice cracked and evaporated. Sparks of blues and reds shot from it as the lights seemed to swirl about the rune and eventually produce a gust of wind from the center focus. When it finished releasing the Hypnomantic spell, the rock finally crumbled and left naught but a pile of rubble. The undead attracted the element and guided it to the proper rune on the new sigil where he guided it in by a transmutation of air. It was quickly sealed with a crackling and momentary flash.

"It is all sealed up and ready to go. Just add the last round of spells and we can transfer the Hypnomancy to the scrolls. Then we can be finished for today. I don't know about you, but I am already feeling a bit exhausted. Creating these sigils is no easy task. I definitely could not make another one, or this headache I am working on might just cause a fissure in my skull and kill me." That was no joke either. His head was thumping after completing his last transmutation. He thought it maybe best to sit out the next round of Hypnotism and sat on the bed. "Let me rest up a moment, I need a break." Though there was something else on the wizard's mind.

What he wondered was how Ender felt about the idea of using Hypnotism in such a brutal manner. He feared that the conversation might ail him further, but trusted in his enhanced body to quickly rid him of the strain that caused him such misery. "As someone who suffered from prolonged hypnotic abuse, served as the test for brutally Glyphed Hypnotism, and finally a proper hypnotic session while induced into a trance state, where you were met with Alric's master technique, I wonder your view on our plan. Think of your experience with the magic, how it effects the mind. Will it be enough to influence the warped mind of a Druvin and win the fight for us?"

Ender did not answer for a few chimes, as he was thinking. This served the Chained One well, as he focused hard on recovering from his pains pulsing through his mind. He gripped his mask and took long deep breaths in an attempt to clear his mind. The aching did lessen to a degree, but not entirely before a reply was issued. "It will work. Alric claimed that brute force was only temporary, but he was wrong. It is not as effective, in both quality and duration of the effect. Your brutal treatment did have lasting effect, just not as you would desire. However this was said before he used that technique, and commanded I obey Miro. It became like some sort of obsession, so brutal, so demanding, repeating over and over. Several of those ensures that even the strongest will cracks and falls victim. It will work."

[Alric Wilmot]

With the next seven sigils ready, Alric prepared to complete the day's work. He arranged them in font of him and sat down in a meditative pose to better focus as he cast. He closed his eyes and formed his djed into tendrils once more and lashed out to connect himself to the empty vessels. He concentrated deeply, centering himself, and allowing him to better focus his djed. He attached himself to all seven at once, knowing that doing so was well within his power. Currently, he could affect an entire town square with enough effort. Miro was helpful as he mentioned things he found that made him weary. Or rather, did some time before his current state. Or did they still make him sleepy? Alric briefly wondered if Miro ever slept just because he was bored. Was the undead incapable of sleep or could he continue the habit if he wished? Alric was not sure. Regardless, he decided to put these sensations in as well. After all, every little bit helped. He began to push various emotions into the seven sigils, both the same and new ones from before. Apathy, exhaustion, weariness, fatigue, grogginess, drowsiness, and even languor. He imagined them, felt them, and then sent them on their way into each. After that, he began to focus on sensations. The feelings of soft pillows, feather beds, and even warm water all came to him as comforting feelings. He had them forged as hallucinations, and sent them into the sigils same as the emotions. After this, he decided that he best re-do the layered speech from before. It helped put the mind at ease. And though it was one of the easier hypnotic techniques to preform, it was still one of the most reliable. "You are feeling sleepy, oh so very sleepy. You have not rested in ages and know your vigilance is taking its toll. You need your rest, now. All well be well if you close your eyes but for a moment. Your eyelids are heavy however. Heavier than you can support, in fact. Let them fall now, let the burden be gone. Rest your eyes. Let sleep over take you and drive away all other thoughts. You deserve a good long rest, ignore you surroundings now, everything is fine. It will be safe without you for a moment surely? Let drowsiness enter you, let fatigue come into your being. Let all worries, problems and tensions leave. Now is a good time to rest, relax and recharge. Be still, and know that you are safe, warm and above all... in need of rest. So give in to your sleep, and fall. Its oh so easy. Oh so easy." Alric gave one final push before opening his eyes and retracting the tendrils. He felt good, really good. It was if he had just had a very strenuous workout, but never once faltered. He stood up and stretched his back, getting the kinks out. He turned to Miro with a smirk on his features. "I think that ought to do it. If they can somehow resist that, then they're most likely at the same level as Gru'tral himself, and we'll be all the more prepared since they will advertise themselves. Which will make them easier targets for you, I wager."

[Miro]

Miro finished composing himself and readying to finish the days work. He watched as Alric finished adding the last touches of Hypnotism. It would work perfect with the master reinforcing the effect to such a degree. And his partner understood well what they had just accomplished. To rid them of having to deal with masses of weaklings would save the Reimancer a great deal of trouble, and he could protect Alric with ease as he delivered the finishing blow. And when it came to a heated confrontation, his large scroll would enhance his Reimancy to even be able to defeat Gru'tral without killing him.

"You are correct, I will easily be able to take out but a few targets and still have Djed enough for Gru'tral. And if there are targets able to withstand the effect of our first scrolls, we have the next scrolls, an enhanced form of your strongest magic. I will add my strongest Hypnotism to your strongest Hypnotism and add them to our three scrolls. It will take three days, but definitely be worth it. You will have the ability to disable any targets that might be dangerous and unable to be cleared out like the weaklings. Or Gru'tral may need another push, and those would definitely provide it."

Miro positioned himself between the opened scrolls and the plate of potent Hypnomancy and began to produce a gaseous Res. He willed the fluid to flow to the plate and surround it and begin to attract the air. "Release trigger," the wizard watched in delight as the Glyph released his completed spell. The ice cracked and shattered as the flow of Djed move from the focuses and into the switch. The central runes began to flash light and sizzle loudly until finally the rock shattered. With the spell released and attracted into the Reimancer's Res, he was now able to move the spell to be sealed within the scrolls.

Relief washed over the undead as the focuses on the scrolls flashed and settled. The sigils had successfully contained his Hypnomancy. However these scrolls and spell were quite powerful in terms of Djed content. The air would begin to spread, and it would work passively within a radius. Miro closed the scrolls and stored them in the largest pocket of his backpack alone. The three cased scrolls sat on the desk, their next task, but wouldn't be touched until tomorrow. "The largest set of scrolls are complete, and we are done for today. Tomorrow will be much harder, and you will need to rest now, and then likely rest after we are done. I will meditate to ready myself and pass the time."

Ender snapped from Miro's wrist to assume his natural form. He spoke out loud to Alric seemingly out of the blue. "Alric, you do not seem entirely fatigued from this session of Hypnotism. You completed both rounds of hypnosis alone, and you do not seem to be showing any visible signs of overgiving. With how much you have shown to be able to do to in our session, I doubt you will find much more trouble in the following days than the strain it takes to cast. Performing but a single powerful technique, you should be exempt from overgiving entirely."

Miro was shocked, as he couldn't be entirely sure how the Hypnotist felt after the session. The Irylid however had a keen sense of sight that picked up details that were lost on most. He hadn't expected to see his partner assume the ability of lecturing on magic. At least not to another wizard. It was a situation he hadn't encountered until now. At first he was unsure how to feel, but could agree to the advice. "Ender is right, just rest it off. We do not want to push things for the day, so you will be free. I will handle the rest of the responsibility while you take a break. My skills in Hypnotism aren't entirely useless. Please feel free to engage Ender as you please, but I shall need time to myself. I will begin meditation to clear my mind and rest my soul for tomorrow."

The Chained One moved to a dark quiet corner of the room and decided to relax his body. He did something he rarely did and removed his trench robe and placed it on the floor next to him. As he shed it to reveal his plain clothes underneath he felt the weight lift from his body. It was odd to see his sling and blackened arm revealed, but was oddly refreshing. When he placed the battlerobe on the floor it thudded with a metallic clinking, and he forced a sigh. He sat himself on the ground and crossed his legs. He focused his will one last time to call his Res from the room to concentrate around his body, and then transmuted it to ice cold water.

There was an immediate shock from the intense cold and having his body drenched from his hair down to the puddle on the floor. But within seconds of the transmutation he felt the tensions of his body easing away and his muscles relaxing. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath and held it for a count before releasing it. It had been a while since he had shed his armor or indulged his natural icy nature. To do so was truly refreshing, and along with breathing, his mind was brought back to a time when he was still alive. With his eyes closed he continued to count and breath, and continued on with the process for bells. His mind wrapped around naught but this one act, and eventually he became so entranced from it the world was lost to him.

[Alric Wilmot]

With the first day's work done, and Alric finding the load more than bearable, he was finding himself grow rather excited. He had not worked his mental muscle so much in a long long time. And he was finding it liberating. However, the future was crawling with danger, and the most difficult things had yet to come. Alric had to cast quite a few Obsessions in the upcoming days, and he knew the process would be draining. He knew Ender was right, and that a proper pacing would be essential in the days to come. Miro could help with the casting, though Alric would admit that he did not like being any less useful than he already was. Despite the fact that this was his ambition and even initiative and basic plan, Miro's fine tunement and powerful reimancy seemed more essential than Alric's own solitary skill. But he knew that was absolute rubbish. Without him this would never work. The Obsession was key to their success, and Alric was the only one that either of them knew who was able to cast it. And Alric knew of other hypnotists. They did not possess this ability. Though Alric felt that he was being used as a tool, he knew at a gut level that Miro was being used much the same way. In fact, all people were but tools for others to use, and ill feelings toward another for using you was petty. The gods played with them on a regular basis, and their was no other higher honor. The fact that Miro and Alric used each other was a matter of kinship and camaraderie. Alric smiled as he realized this, and re-solidified his own philosophies. So what if he was a walking hypnosis dispenser? Most people were not even that, only ever consuming and never giving back to the world. Alric was useful in his own way, and soon would find himself in a position to make others useful to himself. He practically salivated at the thought of how much power was coming his way. He wondered if Miro felt the same, before deciding that he must. Miro was always trying to showcase himself. If anything, Miro would make greater use of this than he would. Alric decided to take his leave and rest for the next day. There was nothing more to do here, and so he might as well take his leave, and rest for the morrow. After all, there was still much more work to be done.

[Miro]

65th day of Fall, 513 AV

Miro was lost in meditation for bells, his counting trailed off after he had managed to work his way into the thousands and thinking the word took longer than it did to breathe in. From that point he managed to explore his mind in some form, though it seemed to hold no relevance in his conscious mind. The only effects he noticed were tranquility, even managing to achieve a pardon from his cravings as a Chained One. Through this clarity he found peace, and would do his best to hold onto it. He may have continued the process for bells more, but was interrupted by his partner.

Ender hadn't taken the similar route of meditation, though he did achieve a form of relaxation. In truth, ever since he had been Hypnotized by Alric, he held some slight form of infatuation for the wizard. In his master's absence he took to following a new master, the Hypnotist master, Alric. The Irylid did not quite need acknowledgement, nor even not to feel lonely, but did enjoy the company. Or at least to be near the wizard, if that counted as company. Though the entire time the Familiar wondered if by chance Alric had summoned him that day and agreed to be bound. His magic, personality, philosophies, it seemed that Ender's time on Mizahar may have been much better if that were the case.

And lost in this musing he remained until well into the morning. He had stalked the Hypnotist, only speaking when spoken to, and waited for him to go to sleep. When finally it seemed the wizard was fast asleep, lost within his dreams, and far too gone to notice, Ender attempted to seal himself upon the man's wrist. He just wanted to enact a fantasy that he held for so long, one that he had held his entire life. He simply wished to pretend he was bound to Alric, as he was the type of wizard the Irylid had wished for his entire life. It was his secret fantasy, one that brought him happiness and closure in experiencing.

The feeling of happiness was intense enough to bleed into Miro's own, and only furthered the relaxation of his meditative state. When Alric began to stir as to wake, Ender unsealed himself and hovered towards his true master. "Master, it seems Alric is soon to wake. Rise from your meditation. It would be best to surprise him with bit of progress. Make the day easy on him, and have him wake to a sigil already half filled. Today's work should be quick, but a small effort from you and a single powerful spell from him. To finish just as the day starts, it would give him a break from this. As well as relief from being locked a room with you all day."

Miro agreed with but a nod, all he could manage after only just releasing his mind from its collected state. He rose and replaced his robe in a slow process. It was more difficult getting the thing on than he remembered. Tying a sash with one hand was no treat either. But having the armor back on was as comfortable as taking it off. Protection usually took precedent over comfort, especially when it was as fashionable as his robe. Alluvia sure knew how to pick them. Ender was right, it would be a treat for his friend. Things would go so much more smoothly to have the plate prepared and mostly filled by the time Alric woke.

The wizard spoke the command, "return," and Ionu's Light shot to his right hand. He began to expel Res from the tip of the staff and pool it on the floor in the shape of a plate. He began envisioning the sigil, and with his mind sharpened and staff in hand, the process flowed with ease. He started with a containing barrier, a set of interwoven and overlapping chains that left a large circular center unmarred. Next he arranged the outermost ring, a set of ten focuses side by side. Each of them in the shape of a unique snowflake. At the top he created a set of barriers to form a path toward the center of the sigil.

He continued on with the design, another focus, a much larger ring. It held a hollow core big enough for a separation barrier, switch and a release focus. Apart from this he only needed to create a trigger to release the sigil. The focus was a highly detailed symbol of the Black Sun, with tendrils extending outward and a hollowed core. It was decorated with swirls and tendrils across it painted into a mural copied from the Temple of the Black Sun, enhancing its integrity. It was the most powerful focus he had ever created using this technique, able to absorb a great deal of magic. Within it a much smaller ring, a barrier, filled with a chain of runic symbols. One last ring inside of it, the switch. Much like the previous sigil, it contained a set of curved and opposing line in a weave. The center circle would be the release focus, created by wrapping four circles around a central axis.

The last rune was the trigger, contained within the outermost barrier. It was programmed to release the separation barrier and combine the spells. The enhanced spell would then be released from the central focus when the command, "Trigger release," was spoken. Inside of the circular space he created two overlapped and opposing triangles, and within their center was a small runic symbol. He transmuted the plate to rock and the Glyphing to ice. And with the sigil set in stone, he could begin the Hypnotism now. Though he was as of yet unsure what the spells loaded should be. It would be based around the spell loaded by Alric, which was still unknown. The desired effect of the scroll was obvious enough.

The Hypnotist planted his staff on each of the focuses and filled them with a spell. Five of the ten of them were emotional responses, channeled until the runes were completely filled. Feelings of submission, compliance, fear, anxiety and despair. And though it was much more simple to stream spells through his staff, the wizard became fatigued from continuous casting. He took a break to catch his metaphorical breath. It was at this time that Ender spoke to him again. "Alric is awake now, and he will be rising from bed any moment. Perhaps you should wrap things up here." Though there was not enough time to finish things before the the living resident of the apartment woke, things would still flow smoothly.

Miro planted his staff on the next of the focuses and spoke to Alric without turning to confirm what was said. "Good morning Alric, I trust you slept well. I am nearly done with my part of the casting for today. You need only cast one spell, your most powerful Hypnotism. The largest focus here. You fill it and you are done for the day. I will fill one scroll, and we repeat the process to fill another tomorrow. The hypnotic effect should be one of submission and surrender. Overwhelm their will to fight and force them to submit to us." The Chained One smirked to himself and focused on the five suggestions he would cast. "Prepare yourself to cast. The sooner we finish the better."

Like the responses, each of the suggestions would be channeled until the runes were filled. While Alric prepared for the day, the Reimancer completed his portion of sigil. "I do not want to fight", "I do not want to die", "I should surrender", "I have already lost", and finally, "I am powerless." After the undead finished the last spell and relaxed his mind, it became clouded. His vision distorted, as his mind grew a terrible ache. Channeling the constant stream of Hypnotism for chimes at a time was exhausting.

Miro staggered backwards and allowed his weight to rest on his staff. "My part of this is finished. I will wait for you to finish yours, and then I will store the spell within a scroll. After that I am free. If you require my assistance elsewhere, I would be at your disposal. Though if not, I am perfect capable of filling my own schedule." The wizard grabbed the three cased scrolls and tucked them into his sling. When the spell was filled, he would remove a scroll from its case and pose it over the plate. The release command would be given, and the magic would be transferred. From there he would store the scroll in a separate pouch of his pack.

[Alric Wilmot]

The 65th of Fall Alric awoke fresh and ready to go. He knew today would be quicker than the last and would largely consist of only one activity, but it would still require a great bit of concentration and focus. As such he decided to eat breakfast before meeting Miro. As he got out from the bed and washed his face in the basin, using his soaps and other luxury goods, he recalled his time spent talking to Ender. Alric had not spoken very often to the creature, not truly seeing him as an individual. He had seen the creature as an extension of Miro, or even a corrupting influence. He had found that he was wrong. Ender was intelligent, and when not trying to kill him rather pleasant. If anything, it was Miro who was the corrupting influence. Though Alric would not say this out loud. He had spoken on where the creature was from, and what his physiology was like. He was rather withdrawn, most likely upset at Alric still. He only spoke when spoken to and did not seem one to force conversation. Still, Alric was at least able to pry the name of his world out of him. Fryden. Though very little else was talked about. Alric had slept peacefully, and for once had no nightmare waiting for him. His father's phantom it seemed, had finally left him. Yet, Alric knew that his memory would carry on, and that it was Alric's duty to carry it. So, with conviction settling in, he ate a bowl of left over porridge and got dressed. He had slept in most of his clothing, but his vest, and coat were laid out. He put them on and left his room. As he got to the main common area, Miro spoke, already awake. Of course he was, he never slept. Sometimes Alric forgot his friend was no longer living, despite the obvious indicators. Miro had already begun the day and had made the first obsession disk. Alric nodded and began to stretch himself and limber up. It did not really do much to his djed or casting ability, but it made him more comfortable while sitting. "Alright, I'm no glyphing expert but I imagine this will test your abilities as well as mine." Alric closed his eyes and sat on the floor, his legs crossed. He began focusing on feelings, first. Mood setters and the like always came first. Submission, deference, humility, servility, and acquiescence all came first. He sucked his breath in, and imagined a bubble. Then he released his breath and the bubble expanded. He focused on the plate then, and sent a tendril of djed to it, as if he were hypnotizing a person. He sent in emotional responses at first, subtle and ignored if the person was aware of what was happening. He then sent in the same feelings, only this time as emotional surges. Impossible to ignore, but quite obviously alien to those of great will. He then sent a flash of a first person perspective of bowing down to himself. He sent the sensations of joy and euphoria at the flash, and then sent it in again, and again. Finally, he began to give his speech. The greatest of his works all had suggestion and emotions filled with convincing rhetoric. Alric was confident he could persuade anyone with his power over hypnosis. "Bow down to me now and realize my power. Acknowledge my right to rule. Your life has been naught but empty meaningless suffering until now, and I am the one to break you of your bonds. I can give you satisfaction! I can give you happiness. Your life is empty and meaningless and causes only suffering. You give consent to be governed by those who hate you, despise you. You let those who would cast you aside with narry a thought rule over you and guide your fate! Abandon them, and realize that your loyalty should belong to me and me alone. I am Alric Evelyn Wilmot, and I am the only lord you need! Bow down and know that I am your Lord and ruler, I am your god! I can give you peace, joy, happiness. Think now, on all you have desired over the years, think of these things. Money? Power? Love? I can provide all of these things and more." Alric then sent in vivid hallucinations of large piles of gold and silver, piled high and surrounding the unknown individual. Mountains of gems and jewelry, climbed high into a starlit sky. He created a long table, filled with every delicacy he knew. Roast chicken, mutton and lamb, and fish all swimming in gravy. He conjured every pie and cake he had ever seen, and even created their tastes if they would give in and take a bite. He produced lovely serving women, and even men in case he encountered a woman. He produced beautiful women all about him as well, all of different shapes heights and races. Isur, Konti, Symenestra, and Charodae for those with a taste for exotic. He conjured Inartan and Benshiran and even normal humans as well, for those with a taste for the familiar. But they were untouchable. And the hallucination would fall when they were touched. "I can give you contentment, and paradise. So bow down to me now, and I will let you serve me. And in my service, you may find this paradise. You may hold on to your illusion of freedom briefly, but know this. Freedom is a lie, and all men are slaves. All of us serve another, even the gods are but pawns to other gods. So you may keep your freedom, the freedom to fail, the freedom to starve, and the freedom to live a life of hardship and strife, or you may come to me and become my loyal subject, my loyal servant. You may become my loyal slave, and experience true bliss. Do you want to join in ecstasy? Do you want to experience true jubilation? Then Obey me, the Lord Alric Evelyn Wilmot. Alric felt his djed drain quickly, as if it were being sucked out of him. It felt as if he were a leech full of blood, and had had his side punctured, all the precious life-giving blood flowing out. He quickly felt fatigued and sluggish. Casting an obsession was a once a day event, having far too much power and dominating Alric's attention. He was on the verge of what he could safely cast in one day. And he knew that he was done. He needed rest, or he would give in to overgiving of the worst kind. He let the plate be filled, and then stood up and back, a slight sway in his stance. This was it for today, tomorrow would have to be for the next obsession.